Cheyenne Medicine Hat

by Brian J. Heinz, Gregory Manchess (Illustrator)

She was a Medicine Hat mustang, so named nearly two centuries earlier by Sioux warriors of the Western plains who believed her markings were sacred shields to protect them in battle.
So begins the story of Medicine Hat, a mare responsible for leading a herd of wild horses across the rocky expanses and open vistas of the American West. The vivid description of Brian Heinz's tale and stunning oil paintings by Gregory Manchess combine to place readers squarely amid Medicine Hat's mustang herd as it searches for food and water in this harsh yet splendorous landscape.
The dust, wind, and heat of the wide-open West are almost palpable in Manchess' large paintings, and notes by the author provide historical background on the mustang, a long-persecuted inhabitant of the West. As Medicine Hat and her band make their wary way across plains, rivers, and cliffs, they find time to play and form relationships even as they struggle to remain wild. Dangers abound in the form of a great cougar and the imprisoning lariats of wranglers, but in a sequence of events that mirrors the historic plight of these majestic horses, Cheyenne Medicine Hat unfolds as an uplifting tale of survival.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this children's book for I wished to see more artwork of Gregory Manchess, and it did not disappoint! I am familiar with Manchess from his "painted novel" Above the Timberline that I had really enjoyed. In this story, a mustang matriarch of her herd who has distinctive "Medicine Hat" markings, tries to keep her newest foal safe when cowboys show up and try to round up some of the horses. While some escape they also need to be wary of a cougar who waits to attack as they move upwards into the canyons to escape the humans. An introduction gives some background on wild horses in North America from the 1500s onward.

The artwork is exquisite. Manchess is known for his art in many prestigious magazines and the beauty of his work can not be understated. He vividly creates a believable western landscape and paints the animals with precision.